The Next Level In Gaming

Who would have thought that mixing the common garden worm with strategic warfare would be the perfect formula for a turn based strategy game? Team 17 thought it was a great idea and since the launch of the first game back in 1995 Worms has become a long standing fan favourite.

Recently Plus XP had the opportunity to try out the latest games to grace the Worms franchise, Worms 3 for iOS and Worms: Clan Wars. If you are a fan of exploding sheep and holy hand grenades, then read on!

Worms 3

Worms 3 is the 3rd iOS title for the Worms franchise, and has been developed specifically for the iOS platform.

If you are familiar with the game play of the Worms franchise then you will be right at home here. The classic turn based warfare with all of our favourite weapons and gadgets makes a return, but with a slight twist. This time around you will have a deck of cards at your disposal. Cards are selected before battle commences, and each card can modify the game play giving you a tactical advantage. Should you want to make that impossible jump you can play the low gravity card, whereas if you would prefer to add some extra oomph to explosions or reduce your enemy teams retreat speed there are cards for that too. These cards can be very powerful during gameplay so to balance things out some cards will last the entire round whereas other take effect for just one turn. This means that it’s best to choose your cards wisely. The addition of the card decks adds a fresh new level of tactical game play which will have even seasoned players thinking carefully about their next move.

In the previous iOS version of Worms 2: Armageddon you had to touch the side of the screen in order to move your worms and double tap your worm to jump. Worms 3 brings in the virtual D-Pad making the controls more in tune with the classic retro Worms game play. Personally I found that the new controls made the game a lot easier to play, however if you did prefer the old control system then there is always the option to switch back in the options menu.

Online game play has been given a little bit of a re-jig specifically for iOS devices. Once you have started a game online you are able to take your turns whenever it suits you meaning you don’t have to play a match in one sitting. This online mode also enables you to review your opponent’s last move as well making this perfect for the mobile platform.

The class system from Worms: Revolution has also been included in Worms 3. This means that you have a bit more variety when it comes to setting up your wormy battalion. There are four classes of worm to choose from, these include Scientist, Scout, Soldier and Heavy worms. Each of the classes comes with its own attributes. If like me you like to create larger explosions then having a few more Heavy worms in your army wouldn’t go amiss, however if you favour agility a Scout worm may be more your speed. If you want to further personalise your army the in game customisation tools come with a variety of hats and accessories to really bring individuality to your worms.

There is no doubt that the game looks great on iPad. The full motion 3D backgrounds coupled with the classic 2D maps bring a shiny HD upgrade to the classic worms look. The high pitched voices we have come to love from the Worms franchise make a return as well as the tongue in cheek game play.

Worms 3 is a considerable upgrade from the iOS version of Worms 2: Armageddon, a must for any worms fan.

Worms: Clan Wars

Carrying on the trend set by Worms: Revolution, Worms: Clan Wars takes the turn based mayhem of the Worms franchise and puts it into an online setting.

As the name suggests the main idea behind Clan Wars is to create a clan with your friends online and then take on the world. Success is achieved by dominating a series of leagues posted by Team 1. Leagues will take place on a regular basis and by winning these leagues you will be able level up your clan in your bid for Worm world domination. WormNET has been brought back for Clan Wars as well meaning that you will be able to maintain your clan as well as chat with members through the lobby chat system. There is also a separate Andrios and iOS app which will enable you to send messages to your clan and review your clans stats. That’s not all as there will be full Steamworks support as well which will allow players to make their own items and accessories.

As well as the online gameplay Worms: Clan Wars comes with its own 25 level single player campaign. Set in a museum, and narrated by Kathrine Parkinson (who plays Jen in the hit Tv series The IT Crowd) these levels let you get to grips with the Worms artillery as well as adding some puzzles into the mix. This is a great leap forward for the Worms franchise as the single player mode has more of a narrative behind it compared to previous Worms games.

The gameplay is much as you would expect, with each team taking turns to obliterate their opponents. The classes that were introduced in Worms: Revolution also make a come back and the classic 2D maps have been upgraded to include full day and night cycles and map elements that move constantly such as water wheels and lifts. Ten new weapons have also been added to clan wars to complement the new map features. New weapons include the Mega Mortar, the Gravedigger, the Winged Monkey, Oxygen tank, The Worm Charm, The Bovine Blitz, A Whoopsie Cushion, The Teleport Raygun, The Equiliser and the Aqua Pack which includes Water Bombs and a Balloon Strike. Some of these weapons such as the Balloon Strike don’t cause much damage initially, but if well executed could push a worm over the edge and wash him away to his demise, giving more of a tactical element to the worm arsenal

With the new map elements and the day and night cycle the game looks great graphically. The environments are more alive compared to previous worms games and with the vibrant colours the franchise is known for Clan Wars as a whole looks really good. If you’re a big MMO fan then this game could be for you. Personally I will be interested to see how the new clan system will be received by the community.